would you miss the buttons?

elemenoP · 05-23-2011, 02:53 PM

Kobo has just announced a touch e-ink reader; the touchscreen technology is by the same company that does Sony's touchscreens. The Kobo Touch will have a home button only. Page turns are by swipe OR by touching the sides of the screen.

Personally, I use *both* the touchscreen and the page turn buttons. Depending on how I'm holding the reader, I find one or the other more convenient. I appreciate having both. (I also think it would be good to have a way to turn off the touchscreen sometimes.)

Other than that, I do think the new Kobo reader looks quite nice so far. I feel certain that B&N is announcing a touch e-ink reader tomorrow too. It will be interesting to see if it has buttons.

So what do you think? Buttons or no buttons?

eP

Pomtroll · 05-23-2011, 03:02 PM

I wouldn't miss the buttons....Unless the touch screen should fail for some reason. I don't use the buttons since I prefer the touch screen.

Bookworm_Girl · 05-23-2011, 03:04 PM

I would miss the buttons. Like you said sometimes it is easier to use the buttons depending on how you hold the reader. However, I don't miss the buttons on my NOOKcolor. Although it is a different experience - more like interacting with my iPhone - and since it's heavier I hold it differently. The NOOKcolor also allows a tapping motion on the sides which is easier than swiping and makes up for the lack of buttons. In summary I still like buttons but suppose I could adapt.

Ripplinger · 05-23-2011, 04:23 PM

The only time I use the buttons are on menu pages that require flipping, like the books, collections, and images lists that are multiple pages. So unless that reader has zero other menus to flip through, removing all buttons is a bad idea. And what if the infrared fails like others already said.

But for the most part I only use the touch screen for flipping pages while reading.

Wordeater · 05-23-2011, 04:25 PM

I bet I've used the buttons less than 25 times over the course of 10 - 15 books.
So, that's a no.

WE

barium · 05-23-2011, 04:33 PM

The touchscreen is nice, but buttons are better for certain things. E-ink screens are so non-responsive that it's hard to tell whether your touchscreen command has registered sometimes. I kind of wish there were more buttons that were user configurable.

ardeegee · 05-23-2011, 04:38 PM

I mostly use the buttons for page turns on my 350, but that is because I don't like the swipe motion. A single tap on the left or right of the screen (as on the new Kobo) is "button-like" enough for me. Also the location-sensitive tapping/double-tapping to bring up options and menus (as seen in the video here) seems a reasonable option that would be easy enough to use once you learn the system.

Graham · 05-23-2011, 04:42 PM

The buttons are very useful when you've got sticky fingers and don't want to touch the screen.

Graham

Bilbo1967 · 05-23-2011, 04:59 PM

I use my 650 in the bath with an Aquapac. The touch screen doesn't work with that so I use the buttons.

Yes, I'd miss the buttons.

AlbertaCowboy · 05-23-2011, 06:08 PM

I'd definitely miss the buttons. My big ol' meathooks aren't delicate enough to work touchscreens without the stylus, and I tend to look up dictionary words when trying to swipe the page. I like having the option to use the page turn buttons.

pidgeon92 · 05-23-2011, 06:28 PM

I never use the page buttons on my 950. They are on the left of the device, and I am right-handed.

NoHolyGrail · 05-23-2011, 06:36 PM

I would definitely miss the buttons. I never really enjoyed having the touchscreen on my PRS-600 and actually missed having the better buttons from my PRS-500.

Poppaea · 05-23-2011, 07:20 PM

Buttons? Which buttons?

There are BUTTONS???

Poppaea · 05-23-2011, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

The only time I use the buttons are on menu pages that require flipping, like the books, collections, and images lists that are multiple pages. So unless that reader has zero other menus to flip through, removing all buttons is a bad idea. And what if the infrared fails like others already said.

But for the most part I only use the touch screen for flipping pages while reading.

Just use the A-Z left of the screen to flip through. No buttons needed.

Ripplinger · 05-23-2011, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poppaea

Just use the A-Z left of the screen to flip through. No buttons needed.

That works only if you have just a few book titles starting with each letter of the alphabet. If you have more titles starting with M for instance than fits on one page, you can't "fine tune" to your selections within the Ms. You must use the buttons to flip through the pages at that point.

05-23-2011, 02:53 PM	#1
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	would you miss the buttons? Kobo has just announced a touch e-ink reader; the touchscreen technology is by the same company that does Sony's touchscreens. The Kobo Touch will have a home button only. Page turns are by swipe OR by touching the sides of the screen. Personally, I use both the touchscreen and the page turn buttons. Depending on how I'm holding the reader, I find one or the other more convenient. I appreciate having both. (I also think it would be good to have a way to turn off the touchscreen sometimes.) Other than that, I do think the new Kobo reader looks quite nice so far. I feel certain that B&N is announcing a touch e-ink reader tomorrow too. It will be interesting to see if it has buttons. So what do you think? Buttons or no buttons? eP

05-23-2011, 04:25 PM	#5
Wordeater Connoisseur Posts: 83 Karma: 48958 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Vancouver, Canada Device: Sony PRS-650	Never I bet I've used the buttons less than 25 times over the course of 10 - 15 books. So, that's a no. WE

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05-23-2011, 03:02 PM	#2
Pomtroll Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 1341819 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minnesota USA Device: Sony 350, Sony T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle PW1	I wouldn't miss the buttons....Unless the touch screen should fail for some reason. I don't use the buttons since I prefer the touch screen.

05-23-2011, 03:04 PM	#3
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	I would miss the buttons. Like you said sometimes it is easier to use the buttons depending on how you hold the reader. However, I don't miss the buttons on my NOOKcolor. Although it is a different experience - more like interacting with my iPhone - and since it's heavier I hold it differently. The NOOKcolor also allows a tapping motion on the sides which is easier than swiping and makes up for the lack of buttons. In summary I still like buttons but suppose I could adapt.

05-23-2011, 04:23 PM	#4
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 3,574 Karma: 8281267 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350, Kobo Glo & Glo HD, PW2	The only time I use the buttons are on menu pages that require flipping, like the books, collections, and images lists that are multiple pages. So unless that reader has zero other menus to flip through, removing all buttons is a bad idea. And what if the infrared fails like others already said. But for the most part I only use the touch screen for flipping pages while reading.

05-23-2011, 04:33 PM	#6
barium Connoisseur Posts: 96 Karma: 20572 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: None	The touchscreen is nice, but buttons are better for certain things. E-ink screens are so non-responsive that it's hard to tell whether your touchscreen command has registered sometimes. I kind of wish there were more buttons that were user configurable.

05-23-2011, 04:38 PM	#7
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	I mostly use the buttons for page turns on my 350, but that is because I don't like the swipe motion. A single tap on the left or right of the screen (as on the new Kobo) is "button-like" enough for me. Also the location-sensitive tapping/double-tapping to bring up options and menus (as seen in the video here) seems a reasonable option that would be easy enough to use once you learn the system.

05-23-2011, 04:42 PM	#8
Graham Wizard Posts: 2,743 Karma: 32912427 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: North Yorkshire, UK Device: Kobo H20, Pixel 2, Samsung Chromebook Plus	The buttons are very useful when you've got sticky fingers and don't want to touch the screen. Graham

05-23-2011, 04:59 PM	#9
Bilbo1967 Not scared! Posts: 13,424 Karma: 81011643 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midlands, UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite 10, Huawei M5 10	I use my 650 in the bath with an Aquapac. The touch screen doesn't work with that so I use the buttons. Yes, I'd miss the buttons.

05-23-2011, 06:08 PM	#10
AlbertaCowboy Guru Posts: 819 Karma: 171672846 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: PRS-350, PRS-650, iPhone 6, NVIDIA Shield K1	I'd definitely miss the buttons. My big ol' meathooks aren't delicate enough to work touchscreens without the stylus, and I tend to look up dictionary words when trying to swipe the page. I like having the option to use the page turn buttons.

05-23-2011, 06:28 PM	#11
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	I never use the page buttons on my 950. They are on the left of the device, and I am right-handed.

05-23-2011, 06:36 PM	#12
NoHolyGrail Connoisseur Posts: 82 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 3 (previously owned PRS-500, PRS-600)	I would definitely miss the buttons. I never really enjoyed having the touchscreen on my PRS-600 and actually missed having the better buttons from my PRS-500.

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05-23-2011, 07:20 PM	#13
Poppaea Lucifer's Bat Posts: 2,536 Karma: 19491715 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Earth/Berlin Device: Kobo Libra 2	Buttons? Which buttons? There are BUTTONS???